City Narrative
The City of Vai Verde
About 70 miles off the coast of Santos, Brazil, lays the awe-inspiring island, Vai Verde. In 1833, Carlos Olivero discovered it on his expedition for dinosaur fossils. The tropical climate and green, organic nature of the island inspired Olivero to name the island “Vai Verde” – “Go Green”. Now, in 2133, with many features and infrastructure, Vai Verde is an enchanting city comprised of 1.2 million people.
Conserving and protecting water resources is the priority of everyone in Vai Verde. The city has several innovative systems used to provide water to all citizens. Every building in the city is equipped with a self-sufficient purification and reclamation system. The Colectores de Agua (CDAs) provide a method of collecting rain and distributing water throughout the city. Vai Verde is designed to preserve the natural vegetation. Neighborhoods contain hovering homes and parks for recreation.
Education is a priority for all communities. The prestigious Ambrose Chain of schools features the Quill PenÔ that takes notes for you. Museums keep history alive for the citizens. Houses of worship exist for all religions.
Energy comes primarily from renewable sources like the sun, water, and wind. The Sunflower Building is the main source of solar energy for the downtown area. It has solar panels at the top of the building which rotate with the sun’s movement to maximize the amount of energy collected. Genesis da Montagem, a 6,000 foot mountain, has wind turbines placed on terraces. Hydroelectric power is harnessed from the dam connecting to the city lake, Lago Chu.
Terraces on Genesis da Montagem allow land cultivation and farming on the mountain. The land is protected by tunable force fields, that block or let in certain animals and insects. The mountain has a surrounding forest in which citizens can go hiking on nature trails. Inside the mountain, there is a dome where citizens can ski, snowboard, and ice-skate, enjoying winter sports on the tropical island.
The health and safety of the citizens of Vai Verde is of the utmost importance. Hospitals in Vai Verde use robots to deliver the most effective and speedy care. The Porto-Doc robot diagnoses patients’ illnesses. The Chemo-Bot is injected into the bloodstream and uses chemotherapy to cure diseases. A surveillance mechanism is in place which alerts fire and police stations in times of danger.
Micro-Air Computers are used in daily tasks. MACs are paper thin and have the ability to fold up and stretch out in any way chosen. Documents are sent through an advanced e-mail network which works at the speed of light. MACs are also used to communicate with other people. With a click of a button, a holographic phone appears for use.
Several transportation methods are accessible to citizens in Vai Verde. The ElectricHoverVetts (EHV) Corporation specializes in jetpacks, cars, maglev trains and teleportation stops. The jetpacks are charged at electric circles located around the city, and are available for all citizens.
With the key elements of a great city, Vai Verde is an island beyond compare.
Essay
The city of Vai Verde is a worldwide leader in water purification and conservation. To keep the city “green”, as described in its name, innovative solutions are utilized to eliminate pollutants in water while being eco-friendly. Engineers in Vai Verde created a top-quality water purification and storage system. Additionally, they crafted a new technological material called Everlasting Aqua that collects and filters the home’s run-off water.
Vai Verde has unique purification systems in its homes that reuse water. The process begins with water collectors on the edge of roofs that gather precipitation. These collectors have pipes that lead to the water storage system. The stored water travels through the pipes into the purification system, where pollutants are detected by nano-scale sensors that trigger nanobots to treat the water accordingly. Nanobots remove pathogens that cause diseases while removing impurities and contaminants. This technology provides an efficient cleansing process and supplies citizens with the cleanest water possible. This system is completely automated and controlled by air pressure sensors that can determine when water is running high or low. In which case, or in the instance of a drought, signals are sent to the city’s automated centralized control station that monitors water quality and supply levels. The signal will automatically provide water from a centralized supply system which uses purified lake, rain, and saltwater. Conversely, if the storage tanks in the homes fill up, the excess water is transferred to the municipality to be shared among residents.
The water system not only has roof collectors, but also has drains on every property to collect the yard’s run-off, which is sent to the storage tank. The collected water proceeds to the purification system and is cleansed of contaminants. The system provides water for bathing, drinking, cooking, cleaning, landscaping, and more.
The water system is self-sustaining and minimizes the use of commercially supplied water for daily requirements. To minimize water waste in Vai Verde, the homes have sensors on faucets and hoses so that they automatically turn off after a certain amount of time. There are also sensors that are activated by the temperature of human skin to turn on sinks. Showers use less water and higher air pressure to make it seem as if the same amount of water that is typically used in standard showers is being utilized. Additionally, xeriscape landscaping is used to minimize water dependence. A sensor system is implemented to determine if sprinklers are needed. The sensor alerts the pump about ground water levels, so it turns on only when necessary, therefore conserving water. Through these systems, conservation is achieved.
In Vai Verde, there are four types of homes: hover homes, apartments, town houses, and traditional stationary homes, which all use the same water system. These systems are installed by civil and mechanical engineers. The civil engineer determines the slope of the house and land to establish where most of the run-off will be, so the drains can collect it. The mechanical engineer designs and oversees the construction of the purification system and the plumbing leading to and from the system, as well as to all household appliances.
The homes of Vai Verde also have water recollection systems. After the water is used, the now ‘gray water’ returns to the storage and purification system to be cleansed and used repeatedly. When water quality sensors detect it is too dirty for use, the system rejects the water and sends it to be purified.
Vai Verde homes also use a new technological material called Everlasting Aqua, which holds up to 40 times its weight. This material is underneath every yard. Water passing through the lawns, is absorbed by the Everlasting Aqua. It is then filtered and transferred directly to the purification system to be cleansed further and used at home. The advantages are that no water is wasted by draining into the earth, evaporation is reduced and the purification process is sped up. This system was developed and supervised by a chemical engineer. Vai Verde’s whole system uses US EPA approved components.
Just as water is the origin for people, Vai Verde is the origin for the correct use of water.
References:
Lamb, R. (2008). How gray water reclamation works. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from http://www.howstuffworks.com/gray-water-reclamation.htm
Native Access to Engineering Programme. (2008). Introduction to types of engineering. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from www.nativeaccess.com/types/index.html
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2008, March 8). Basic information. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://www.epa.gov/watersense/basic/index.htm
Lenntech Water Treatment & Air Purification Holding B.V. (2008). Water Purification. Retrieved December 19, 2008, from http://www.lenntech.com/Water-Purification-FAQ.htm
Boulden, S. (2008). Xeriscaping -Water Wise Landscaping. S&S Designed Landscaping. Retrieved December 28, 2008, from http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/xeriscaping.html
